Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – Feb. 28, 2025 – Be Pro Be Proud, Arkansas’ leading workforce development initiative, celebrated its first successful “Draft Day” event of 2025 at Nettleton High School in Jonesboro.
The first of nine dynamic technical career events taking place across the state this spring, Draft Day Jonesboro brought together representatives from 23 statewide hiring organizations and students from 33 regional high schools for career exploration, networking, and interviews throughout the event.
“The demand for skilled professionals in industrial and manufacturing careers has never been higher, and today’s students are the future of these industries,” said Andrew Parker, executive director of Be Pro Be Proud. “That’s why we’re thrilled to kick off our first Draft Day event of the year right here in Jonesboro, giving students across Northeast Arkansas a firsthand look at the high-demand jobs available in their own backyard. A huge thank you to our partners at the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce and Nettleton High School…together, we’re opening doors to rewarding careers and building a stronger Arkansas.”
In its fourth year, Draft Day helps build tomorrow’s skilled workforce by matching students to employers in the construction, forestry, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities industries. Draft Day participants discover high-demand fields, connect directly with hiring employers, receive advice and answers from on-site mentors, and find rewarding career paths close to home. Last year’s Draft Day series spanned eight Arkansas regions and included 130 companies and 105 high schools, with over 1,000 students interviewing for a potential job, internship, apprenticeship, or training opportunity.
Draft Day is sponsored by the Arkansas State Chamber, the Arkansas Department of Commerce, the Office of Skills Development, and the Arkansas Department of Education. The presenting sponsor of Draft Day in Jonesboro is Hytrol, with additional sponsor Frito Lay.
For more information about Be Pro Be Proud’s 2025 Draft Day series, click here.
About Be Pro Be Proud Arkansas:
Be Pro Be Proud Arkansas is a workforce development initiative led by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas (AIA) that connects students around the state to high-tech, high-paying technical careers. Through partnerships with state agencies, local industry, and higher education entities, Be Pro Be Proud is effectively working to replenish the professional workforce that has been experiencing a drastic decline. Be Pro Be Proud was launched in Arkansas in 2016 and has since licensed efforts in Alabama, Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.